The other side of the line
by TZDDN
Summary: So, I have reposted this story since it did not upload correctly the first time. Not a oneshot anymore! Season 11 premiere, what if Tony had been shot at his apartment? May or may not be Tiva, among other things. Don't own anything.
1. Chapter 1

**An idea that popped into my mind after watching the season 11 premiere (which was, I know, several months ago)**

**Ok so, I am reposting this story since it seems that the previous version was not uploaded correctly. I hope it worked this time!**

"Where are you? Airport?"

"Almost. Still ok that I come?"

"Very. Safe flight. xo"

Tony smiled. _She's ok with this. She wants this. She even sent me a smiley face. Come on, Ziva sent a smiley face? She's thrilled. And I am too._

He was lost in his thoughts so much he didn't notice the small red dot on his chest. Then everything happened so fast. He heard a single shot and felt pain into his chest.

_God no, not now, not now that I am so close...to her..._ his mind begged.

He fell off his feet, blood pouring out of his chest. He heard more shots and saw the lamp shatter in front of him. He needed to find shelter. He crawled behind the stereo surround system, trying to apply pressure on the wound on his chest. He felt lightheaded and knew he might lose consciousness any second.

_Ziva_. He thought_. I need to call Ziva, to warn her._

He still had his phone in his hand, so he simply pressed speed dial. The shots had rung out. One ring, two rings.

_Can't hold on for much longer, please answer Ziva._

"Tony, you miss me yet?" she asked playfully.

As soon as she finished her sentence she noticed the laboured breathing of her partner. He tried to speak but he couldn't, he just couldn't.

"Tony?" she asked worriedly as she saw he didn't answer.

"Zi..." he managed to gasp. The pain was too intense for each intake of breath. Nevertheless he tried to breathe evenly and spoke:

"Ziva a-are you s-safe?"

He could feel Ziva frown on the other side of the line.

"Yes, I'm just at my father's country house. Tony what's going on? Are you ok?" Her concern was almost visible, other than audible.

"Hide" he whispered barely audibly.

"Tony where are you? Are you alright?" She said. She was a little pissed he didn't answer her questions.

"I w-was sh-shot at m-my apartment." he blurted out.

He heard Ziva gasp on the other side of the line. He could picture her raising her hand to her mouth, trying to hold back her tears. After only a few seconds of silence he heard her speak again, maybe for the last time, between sobs.

"I'll call McGee, he'll send you help Tony. Tony you need to be strong for me, fight for me, ok?"

She just heard a grunt on the other side of the line.

_Don't do this to me, Tony_.

She ended the call and called McGee instead, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Ziva? Hi." he heard him at the other end.

He heard her cry out loud, and it had him concerned.

"Ziva? Are you hurt?" he asked hazardously.

"No... Tony was shot, you need to call an ambulance for him right away... I think... I think he's dying, Tim."

But the call had already been disconnected by her former colleague and friend.

She needed to find a way back to him before it was too late, but most of all, she needed to find a way to hide.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hopefully now this should be readable. I am truly sorry I have no idea why this keeps happening.**

**Anyway, here is the second chapter of this fiction, as i have decided to un-oneshot it. I hope you like it. Don't forget that reviews make me happy :)**

When McGee arrived at Tony's apartment, the paramedics were already there, thank God. He arrived just in time to see the ambulance ride away, his friend, his brother, inside, fighting for his life.

He went upstairs to Tony's apartment. The door was open, it had obviously been forced by the paramedics so that they could attend to Tony. Which made sense, after all. Tim took a little time to assess the apartment. Almost all the windows were shattered, there was glass everywhere. On the opposite wall there were bullet holes. From the pattern of the holes McGee could say it was probably a semi-automatic weapon that shot Tony.

_This is where he must have been standing._ he thought, looking at a small puddle of blood on the floor. But the puddle smeared as if he had crawled behind the stereo system. McGee stared in horror at the alarming amount of blood he saw behind the stereo. He wondered how Tony was even alive after such a massive blood loss. His gaze turned a little to the left and he noticed a smashed fishbowl. There was water everywhere but the fish was nowhere to be seen.

Tim smiled a little '_Never took you for the fish-pet kind of guy, Tony. That would have been some serious teasing material'. _He chuckled silently at the imaginary response Tony would have given him if he had voiced this remark to his coworker. McGee's face turned dead serious when he realised he might get the chance to talk to Tony, ever again.

That's when he noticed Tony's cell phone in the larger puddle of blood.

He picked it up and checked the last call.

Ziva - 00:00:32

He scratched his neck and walked out of the door, careful not to disturb anything.

This was a crime scene now.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

_Dear Gibbs,_

_I am on the run. Do not try to find me, do not contact me. _

_I need to disappear for a while and I cannot run away from whomever is trying to kill us if I am too busy trying to run away from you. It is safer this way._

_Take care of all of them and especially look after Tony. I know he has been injured but my heart tells me he is stronger than this. You must prevent him from looking for me, by any means necessary, for his own good._

_Be safe, and do not worry about me. _

_All the best,_

_Z._

She carefully folded the letter, gave it to the old lady and disappeared into the night.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

**Same day - two hours after the shoot out - IRAN**

Parsons and Gibbs were about to return to the Jeep after questionning the marine, when another marine approached them.

"Which one of you is Agent Gibbs?"

Parsons and Gibbs exchanged a surprised look.

"I am." he said.

"There is a call for you, from DC."

"Who is it from?" Parsons asked intreagued. Maybe Vance had finally gathered more intel on the case.

"A...Special Agent...McGee, is it?"

Gibbs's eyes grew wide in concern. He simply nodded and followed the Marine.

"McGee." He stated as his agent's face appeared on the small screen.

"Boss, I'm sorry, I would have called you earlier but I couldn't get a hold of you, you're basically in the middle of nowhere and the GPS signal is really bad and..."

"You're rambling McGee..." Gibbs cut him.

Only then did he realise the younger agent looked troubled. Bags under his eyes, and a fear in his green pupils he had never seen before.

"What's going on, McGee?" he asked.

"It's Tony, Boss. He's been shot."

His words fell like an anvil. Shot. _DiNozzo, why is it always you?_

The silence lasted a few more seconds until Gibbs barked:

"When?"

"Just a couple of hours ago boss. He was alone, appearently he was talking to Ziva when it happened because she was the one who called me, crying, asking me to call an ambulance, that Tony had been shot. I tried to call her back after I called for help, I did, Gibbs, but she turned off her cell and I can't seem to locate it. Last known location was in Tel Aviv but..."

"It's ok Tim, you did good. How severely was DiNozzo injured?" he inquired.

"Took one in the left upper quadrant. He's been in surgery ever since he's entered the hospital as far as I can tell, but nobody gave me an update yet. Gibbs what if Ziva's..."

"Don't worry about Ziva" he interrupted again "I'll try to get a hold on her and otherwise she is more than capable to handle herself. You find Abby and be safe. Someone is after the team. Stay with Tony and guard his room. If someone tries to shoot you...Shoot them first. They are your responsibility, McGee, got that?"

"But I'm not an agent anymore I haven't been reinstated and..."

"Agent McGee, this is me reinstating you. Call Vance or whomever you want to make it official, I want you back on duty starting now. Do I make myself clear agent McGee?"

"Yes Boss." Tim gulped audibly. "What about you?"

"I'll try to find David and get her ass back in the States where she's safe before she gets herself killed. I'll be back as soon as I can, hopefully with her."

"Ok Boss. You can trust me, I'll take good care of them."

The conversation ended.

Nobody messes with Gibbs's team.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Sorry for the wait, life sometimes catches up on you... I am actually very happy about how this story is unfolding. Thank you for giving it a shot.**

**Here we have some McGee and some Gibbs scenes. Next chapter should have a little Tony and Ziva in it. (I know that's what you're looking for :P)**

**If you have any question or suggestions feel free to review, or even if you wanna say if it's good or bad.. (hopefully it's good!)**

**Also, I know someone wanted a scene with Tony who speaks with Kate while in a coma, and she confronts him about his feelings for Ziva. YOU WILL NOT BE SEING THAT IN THIS STORY. If this is what you are expecting, please read my other story Unsaid. It should fulfill your expectations.**

**CHAPTER 3:**

McGee hung up the phone. A milion thoughts went through his brain at the same time. Call Vance. Check up on Tony. Call Abby. Try to locate Ziva again. Call Abby. Cancel his date with Delilah. Check up on Tony. Call Vance...

Being the reasonable one, McGee decided to call Vance first.

"Director."

"McGee. I am guessing you are calling to get your job back." Vance's deep voice rung into McGee's ears through the phone.

"I am sir. I don't know if you heard, but Gibbs' old team is being targeted. I was just off the phone with him. He has asked my reinstatement as an NCIS agent in order for me to perform my duty as a protection detail for the former Special Agent DiNozzo."

"DiNozzo? Don't get me wrong, you were a good agent, McGee, but DiNozzo was...one of the best. Shouldn't it be the other way around?" the director asked slightly amused.

There was a long silence on the other side of the line, before McGee took a deep breath and announced:

"Tony has been shot at his apartment tonight, Director. He has been rushed to Bethesda and is currently in surgery. I thought...you knew." he said flatly.

Vance was apalled.

"What?! No I... I didn't know. Who is on the case?"

"Well, since he's a civilian now, FBI is on the case, but I thought agent Fornell had called you to..."

"He didn't, Agent McGee. I will inform the rest of the team and have them someone assigned to protect them as well. I think it is best you stay with Agent DiNozzo, I will send a couple of agents to bring you your gear."

"'Agent' Mc Gee? Wait, does this mean I am back?"

Vance chuckled.

"As far as I am concerned, it's as if you had never left."

McGee hung up and smiled. He smiled, because although Tony was in surgery fighting for his life, Gibbs was in the middle of nowhere trying to catch the bastard behind this and Ziva was nowhere to be found, maybe, just maybe, things were starting to get back to normal.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Gibbs turned to Parsons, who had not heard his conversation with McGee. As soon as he saw the older man's eyes filled with concern he knew something happened.

"What's going on?"

Gibbs put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him straight in the eye.

"You remember when you told me someone is targeting my team, that we were being set up?"

"Yeah"

"Not only were you right, but someone has already started."

There was a short silence before Parsons asked tentatively.

"Who?"

Gibbs turned away and started to walk towards the jeep.

"DiNozzo"

Parsons jogged behind Gibbs and sat in the Jeep beside him.

"So, what do we do now."

"_We_? Didn't know _we_ were a thing, Dick." Gibbs chuckled slightly. But only slightly. Gibbs don't laugh.

Parsons, who was always very serious look at him gravely.

"You know what I mean, Gibbs. And please don't call me Dick."

Gibbs started to drive.

"Well, Parsons, _we_ are going to the airport. _You_ are going back to DC and you keep doing what you do best. Keep digging until you find the answers we're looking for. _I, _on the other hand am taking the first flight to Tel Aviv."

Parsons nodded knowingly.

"I still have an agent unaccounted for." the older man whispered almost to himself.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

McGee was pacing impatiently in the waiting room. It had been almost three hours since Tony had been taken into surgery and still no news. Tim was starting to lose patience. He was about to take the same small path from the armchair to the vending machine for the thousandth time when the heavy doors finally opened and a male surgeon in scrubs and wearing a mask. McGee at first thought he looked quite young for being a surgeon in such a good hospital, maybe even younger than he was, but as soon as he took the mask off, Tim realized how wrong he was. He looked old, older than Gibbs even, his face carved with wrinkles by time and experience.

"Family of DiNozzo?" he asked.

Tim bolted up and walked to him.

"You are...?"

"Special Agent McGee, NCIS. I am here for Special Agent DINozzo" he said, proudly flashing his newly returned badge. The surgeon nodded. McGee noticed the pen he had in his chest pocked read 'A. Hodgekins', so he didn't bother to inquire the doc's name.

"How is he?" he asked hurrily.

"Lucky" Hodgekins said motioning McGee towards his office. "The bullet was meant for his heart doubtlessly, but it only just grazed the pericardium and entered his lingula, piercing it. It also obviously broke his fourth rib on the back and the front, which should heal nicely. There was also..."

Hodgekins looked at McGee and realized the poor fellow looked completely lost.

"You have no idea what I am talking about, have you?"

"Not in the slightest, no."

The room went silent for a few seconds.

"I see. Let's make it simple. The bullet broke twice the same rib, front and got stuck in the back part of the rib, effectively going though his left lung and barely missing his heart."

McGee looked illuminated and nodded in understanding. Everything was easier when the damn doc spoke english!

"We were able to stop the bleeding in his lung, but he has lost a lot of blood. He is having a transfusion right now. Also, his file said he had pneumonic plague eight years ago. Is it true?"

"Yes" McGee confirmed nodding.

Hodgekins smiled and nodded.

"Just checking you are who you say you are. In fact, his lungs showed signs of significants scarring. Which is why Mr DiNozzo is currently breathing thanks to a ventilator."

McGee gasped and his eyes widened in horror.

"That bad, uh?"

The surgeon smiled knowingly, as if he had already had this conversation a hundred times.

"It's just a precaution. With his amount of scarring tissue we want to wait for the hole in his lung to heal a bit before he starts breathing on his own again. Only, to do so, we had to sedate him."

McGee gasped again.

"We will take him off the sedative in 72 hours. Then he should wake up and maybe be a bit short of breath, but I believe he should make a full recovery."

McGee stood silent, trying to decipherate the doctor's words. Everything seemed just so surreal, and too much to handle for him on his own right now. Oh, what he'd give to have one of Abby's hugs right now...

"Are you telling me Tony's gonna be ok?"

The surgeon smiled, glad that the message had finally come through.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

Hot. And Sunny. And Sandy. As the hot wind hit his sunburnt face he felt small sanddust slipping into his eyes. He didn't remember this country to be so hot and sandy. That actually reminded him of what DiNozzo had told him once:

_"__Boss did you know that Sahara actually means desert? So Sahara Desert means 'desert desert'... That's a lot of sand..."_

He chuckled stepping off the plane. Well, he was in the desert too, now.

Lost in his thoughts he didn't notice a man approaching him. He was probably considered a handsome man: tall, muscular, square jaw, dark curls and two dark eyes that could pierce your skull with one glance.

"Agent Gibbs" the man said with a thick Israeli accent "Director Elbaz is expecting you."

Gibbs nodded and started to walk to the black SUV waiting for him. Adam Eschel climbed in the drivers seat and started the engine.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the long wait. I wasn't home for 9 days and then before that I was writing another tiva story, super angsty, I think you'd loooove it (but i'm finishing to write it before posting the first chapter) and before that i wasn't really inspired.**

**Keep reviewing, it's what keeps my brain going :)**

**Chapter 4:**

**Present Day (June 12th) - Tel Aviv, Israel**

Gibbs walked into mossad headquarters. As soon as he had passed the security check he was greeted by one high-heeled director Elbaz. Gibbs didn't particularly appreciate the woman, and wanted little to do with her.

"Agent Gibbs" she said extendind her hand for him to shake it. He simply grunted.

"Why was I brought here?"

"I thought you could use someone to drive you around the city. Tel Aviv can be a dangerous place for a...tourist." she shrugged.

Gibbs chuckled.

"Yeah, if you brought me here to tell me this kind of crap, I think I can find my way out."

He turned towards the exit when Orli called him back:

"Agent Gibbs"

Gibbs huffed and faced her.

"I assume you are looking for Agent David."

"I am."

"May I ask why?"

"None of your damn business!"

Orli put a hand in her pocket and handed a piece of paper to Gibbs. He carefully took it and unfolded it. It was a letter from Ziva adressed to him. She told him not to come for her.

But father mode kicked in. He couldn't just give up on Ziva that easily. Not yet.

"How did you get this?"

"It is not important how. Mossad has powerful resources."

"I'm not buying it."

He walked past the director when she grabbed his arm:

"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking Mossad has something to do with the atempt on your agent's life. I can assure you..."

"I don't care" Gibbs cut her off "about your guarantees. I don't care about your hospitality. I don't trust you, director. Right now my team is in danger, including Ziva. I'm not leaving her behind." _Not again_, he thought.

Orli looked into his icy blue eyes, her gaze full of regret. Was it real? The woman was too easy to read for it to be sure it was a genuine feeling.

"As you please, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded and dismissed himself. He had just walked a few blocks away when suddenly he was pushed in a dark alley, by a strong man.

He tried to reach for his gun but was knocked unconscious as soon as he made the move.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

**Three days later - June 15th - Bethesda Navy Hospital**

Tony had been taken off the sedative for three hours already. He wasn't on the vent anymore, but still had a nasal cannula to keep his O2 stats up, as his lungs hadn't gotten their full capacity back.

The team (or at least the members of the team that were still in DC) hadn't visited Tony. They had been sent into various safehouses, Ducky and Palmer in Vermont, the whole Vance family as well; and Abby was in Virginia, where McGee would have joined her.

Tim was still at Tony's bedside, worried sick. Worried about Tony, who didn't seem to want to wake up. Worried about Ziva, whom he hadn't been able to track down, and worried about Gibbs, who had been off the grid for three days, since he'd flown to Israel.

"Thinking about your next novel, McGemcity?" a raspy voice asked.

Tim bolted up from the chair he was sitting on.

"Tony" he breathed "you're awake".

"Yeah" Tony whispered trying to grab the picher on the nightstand. McGee hurriedly poured him a cup of water and put the straw in his mouth.

Tony gulped down the water greedily.

"That's better" he muttered. He still had a little trouble breathing, so talking was quite painful for his chest.

"How are you feeling?" Tim asked, obvious concerned in his voice.

"Like I've been shot." Tony gasped.

"Easy" Tim said as Tony tried to move but pain radiated through his chest. "You were"

"Good"

"Good?"

"Chicks dig scars, McGee."He chuckled quietly "You wouldn't know."

McGee put up an hurtful face, but he was secretly glad that with the amount of blood his colleague had lost, he hadn't lost his sense of humor as well.

"What's the damage?"

"Broken rib, punctured lung... you should be as good as new in a couple of weeks." McGee smiled.

"Where is everyone?" the wounded agent inquired.

Tim wasn't sure now was the best time to lay everything on Tony. Not while he was still so weak.

"They've come by." he lied.

An awkward silence had settled in the room. Tim noticed that Tony looked tired and took it as his queue.

"You should rest Tony, I'll just grab some coffee and send a nurse in to check you out."

The astute investigator in Tony didn't miss the hint of concern in the younger agent's eyes.

"Tim, what are you not telling me?" he asked catching his breath a little every two words.

But McGee was already almost at the door. He stopped but didn't turn towards Tony, too afraid that his eyes would betray him.

"Sleep it off, Tony."

And he left.

NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS

**June 13th - somewhere in the backstreets of Tel Aviv**

Gibbs was aware about two things: the first one was that he was lying on something soft that could be a bed, and the second one was that his head hurt like hell.

While his fuzzy mind was still trying to catch up on him he heard two voices. One was of a man, the other one of a woman, and somehow familiar.

"He should wake up any moment now."

"I hope so Adam."

_Adam...Eschel? _Gibbs thought.

"Just how hard did you hit him? I told you to knock him out, not to..."

"Sshh, I think he's waking up."

"Gibbs?" the female voice asked.

"Ziver?" he croaked.

He opened his eyes and was glad the room was dimly lit. With his headache he wouldn't have handled it.

Gibbs scanned quickly his surroundings. He was indeed in a bed, next to a grayish wall, in a room that couldn't have been more than 200 sqf. In a corner of the room was a bucket and a small sink, right under the only narrow window of the room. Opposite to that wall was the bed. There was a small chair and a wooden table in the middle of the room, Adam Eschel indeed leaning against the table. Ziva was crouched in front of him.

"How is your head?" Ziva inquired worried.

"It's fine." he lied.

"See!" Adam interjected "I told you it wasn't that hard of a blow!"

"He was unconscious for more than 12 hours!" she yelled back.

"HEY!" Gibbs shouted "Can somebody please tell me what the hell's going on in here?"

Ziva looked at Adam for a second, silently asking for his opinion and consent, than looked back at Gibbs.

"Yes" she answered grabbing the chair and putting it next to the bed.

She sat down.

"Tony called me when he was shot and advised me to hide. I then packed a few things and left my father's home in Tel Aviv. I booked a plane for London but never showed up, and came here instead. I wrote a note to you and gave it to my aunt Nettie so that she would bring it to Mossad."

"So the note was real?"

"Yes" Ziva nodded "I knew Orli would have you picked up at the airport, so I knew she'd come in contact with you at some point. I do not yet know who is after us, so I tested Orli's loyalty to my father, I wanted to see if she gave the message to you."

"So Orli was trying to help?"

"It appears so. But I couldn't risk to compromise my safety or yours by giving her true information. As far as she knows, I have fled the country and am hiding in England."

Gibbs nodded slowly and turned to Adam. He pointed him with his chin.

"What's he doing here?"

"I needed someone who made sure that everything went as planned" Ziva explained "and someone to bring you here unnoticed. Adam is the only one I trust in mossad, anymore."

Gibbs grunted. He didn't like the idea that Ziva trusted this man. He didn't know him, therefore he didn't trust him.

"I don't like it." Gibbs whispered under his breath.

Ziva decided to ignore the comment.

"The meaning of the letter is true, though."

Gibbs looked at her quizically, so she elaborated her thought:

"I cannot come home with you Gibbs."

Ziva looked at Adam and the latter understood he had to give them some privacy. Without a word he left the small room.

"Ziva, listen..." but Ziva cut him off:

"Gibbs, do not make this any harder than it already is."

"We can protect you, Ziver."

"You know I can take care of myself, Gibbs. Taking care of others is a great deal of responsibility and as much as I would love to have...everybody's back" she said casually putting a hand on her stomach "I have other matters to attend to" she finished dryly.

Gibbs stared at her for a while, then grabbed her hand still on her stomach, rubbung gentle circles with his thumb.

"You can't have everyone's back and protect 'it', isn't it?" he said motioning his chin towards her belly.

She nodded once, her eyes starting to tear up.

"Gibbs" she pleaded "you have to understand, many people are an easy target. A single individual can be..."

"Untrackable, I know." he finished.

Ziva turned away from him, although she knew he had already seen the tear that slipped from under her eye lid.

She took a couple of shallow breaths and chuckled softly.

"It is funny, is it not? I had everything planned out, my life was starting to make sense again and now... Now this is coming up and the timing could not have been more wrong..." she sighed "But I am not giving up on this baby Gibbs, I am sorry"

"Rule six" he mumbled, but she ignored it. (She ignored Gibbs!)

"This is my top priority now". She said turning back to him. Her tone was determined, final. Even the silver fox couldn't stand a chance against mama bear protecting her cub.

Gibbs nodded again.

"Is it Eschel's?" he dared to ask.

A ghost of a smile painted itself on Ziva's lips. She shook her head shyly, and Gibbs knew.

"uhuh". His features were almost unreadable but Ziva could see the slight twitching of his lips he always had when he was trying to remain stoic while smiling inwardly. She giggled softly.

"Please do not tell _him_. If you do he will do everything in his power to find me and... I cannot have him take that risk."

"I won't, I promise."

Ziva gave him a thankful look.

"How is he?" she whispered. Since _he _had been shot she had gone off the grid and was completely clueless on her partner's condition.

"Last time I checked critical but stable"

She gasped a little. Gibbs didn't miss it and engulfed her in a hug when she started to shake, trying to suppress the sobs that were building up in her throat.

"Hey" he whispered into her hair "he'll be fine. He's stronger than a bullet."

Ziva nodded and whiped away her tears.

"You should probably go." she said. But her former boss shook her head.

"Gibbs we have been through this..." she said.

"No" he countered "we have been through why you can't go home, and that's fine. But you're not leaving my sight until I know you are safe."

Gibbs didn't want her on her own. And he most certainly didn't trust Adam Eschel to have her back, even less when she was pregnant. How was she expecting to deliver a baby on her own? No, he wasn't going to leave her alone.

"Please do not..." she pleaded, but he was firm.

"No. That's final."

Ziva was defeated. She turned away from him and grabbed the small bag with some of the items she chose to take for her journey.

"Okay" she sighed "I suggest we go, then."


End file.
